Modern Animal raises $13.5 million to make going to the vet suck less

Modern Animal just raised a $13.5 million seed round of funding to fuel its mission of offering pets, humans and veterinarians a better experience. Led by Founders Fund with participation from Upfront Ventures, Susa Ventures and others, the round will enable Modern Animal to open its first location in Los Angeles early next year.

Founded by Steven Eidelman, who previously founded dog tracking startup Whistle and sold it to Mars Petcare, Modern Animal pegs itself as the next generation veterinary care platform. You can think of it as a One Medical model for pets, where all of the vets are full-time and receive equity in the company.

"If you think about similarities, we are committed to using technology and design to reinvent the way pet care is delivered," Eidelman told TechCrunch. "There are lots of similarities with One Medical."

Modern Animal will be led by Dr. Christie Long, DVM, the former director of veterinary medicine at Petco. For a $100 yearly membership fee, Modern Animal offers unlimited exams, 24/7 virtual care, in-app prescription requests and delivery and more. However, there is a charge for additional services.

"Our goal is to be at parity with the market," Eidelman said. "We're not trying to create a high-end experience. We want to build the most efficient system that allows us to deliver the best care. Those efficiencies should funnel into long-term lower cost of care."

Modern Animal's first location will have a dental and surgery suite, but does not do any overnight services.

"We're not trying to operate as an emergency room nor are we hiring specialists," Eidelman said. "If animals need a more complex level of care, we'll refer them to the best ER or specialist."

In the next five years, Modern Animal envisions operating 50 locations throughout the U.S. Each location will continue to be designed with environmental considerations like no ringing phones at the front desk, and keeping dogs and cats in separate areas. That last piece is key for humans who may be allergic to cats or dogs, and for animals who don't like to interact with different species.

"The idea is to create a really safe and comfortable environment for the animal," Eidelman said. "But the only way we can get them grate care is if we also take care of humans."